GENERAL NEWS

Make it mandatory for students to do social service for being

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu Tuesday suggested that educational institutions make it mandatory for students to undertake social service or service in armed forces or voluntary organisations like NSS, Scouts & Guides for being conferred with degrees.

Participating in social service or enrolling in such services would help them inculcate the feeling of oneness, nationalism and social consciousness, he said. He suggested the educational institutions incorporate moral science classes in schools. Speaking at the valedictory of the birth centenary celebrations of former legislator and former Scouts and Guidesnational commissioner V P Deenadayalu Naidu, he urged students to draw inspiration from the 'visionary leader'.

Deenadayalu Naidu was a freedom fighter, former mayor of Bengaluru, a legislator, who later became the national commissioner of Bharat Scouts and Guidesfrom 1992 to 1995. Lauding the Scouts and Guides for their role in shaping aforce of disciplined and self-reliant youth, Naidu said "Living for the society and share and care is at the core of Indian philosophy. The Scouting movement inculcates suchhabits.

That's why I want to suggest to various governmentsthat Bharat Scouts movement or NCC or airwing, navy or NSS, one of the courses must be made compulsory for anybody to get a degree. You need a disciplined society, "you need social consciousness in society. You need people who can thinkabove caste, creed, sex and religion," he said. Naidu stressed that the values given to Scouts and Guides were essential to build a good leadership. In this context, healled upon voters to elect people who have character,calibre, capacity and conduct, "which has unfortunatelyreplaced by caste, community, cash and criminalities."

"We should understand the seriousness of the situation because leaders, if they do not have character, calibre, capacity and conduct, if they do not follow discipline, dynamism, dedication, devotion, then how will you get service? That's why you need to follow these standards today. That is the lesson we have to draw from Deenadayalu Naidu," he said.

Speaking about the present day leaders, Naidu referred to the Supreme Court's concerns about the rising number of individuals with criminal records entering legislative bodies in the country. He said the Apex court has opined that the time has come for Parliament to enact a lawto ensure that those facing serious criminal cases do not enter the political arena. The court had recalled theopinion of the Law Commission that persons against whomserious criminal charges have been framed should bebarred from contesting polls, he pointed out.

"The Supreme Court has to tell us this because we are not bothered as we are led by caste, creed, sex, religion, region,community and all sorts of criminalities," Naidu said. Speaking about the adverse effects of climate change, he stressed the need to evolve a constructive action plan to preserve and protect nature.

Citing example of the recent floods in Kerala and parts of Karnataka, Naidu said Kerala and coastal Karnataka were flooded a month ago but today they have become bone dry because of climate change. Earlier, the vice president released a booklet on Deenadayalu Naidu. Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala, state ministers Bandeppa Kashempur, U T Khader, Lok Sabha member P C Mohan and Bharat Scouts and Guides national commissioner K K Khandelwal were also present.

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